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Tom Ford bets on Vegas for second U.S. menswear shop

December 3, 2009 | 11:22
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It's turning out to be a busy month for designer/director Tom Ford. Although his primary focus of late has been film -- his directorial debut, "A Single Man," starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore premieres Dec. 11 -- he's also been plotting to expand the retail presence of his eponymous menswear line, and today he opens a store in Las Vegas, just the second freestanding boutique in the country.

The 7,700-square-foot store, with an angular metallic facade that resembles the exterior of LA's Walt Disney Concert Hall, is located at the new Crystals retail center in the new CityCenter development. Fashion industry trade paper WWD reports the interior resembles that of the New York and Milan locations, with antique bronze and glass display cases, velvet sofas, and luxe touches that include a black marble fireplace, Ultrasuede paneled walls and a beaver rug.

Like the other stores, it will serve up everything Ford envisions the modern man of style could possibly need, with a dedicated shirting room, a sportswear salon, a perfumery (where you can have a custom-blended scent made), and a room dedicated to made-to-measure suits.

Other luxury stores slated to open at the Crystals include Louis Vuitton, Ermenegildo Zegna, Cartier, Kiton, Paul Smith, Versace and Tiffany.

As for more Ford stores, there's still no word on when a local outpost (which we first told you about last December) will open, although the Beverly Hills Courier reported last month that final remodeling plans for the 344-346 N. Rodeo Drive location have been finalized by the Beverly Hills Architectural Commission.

Tom Ford, 3720 South Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas

-- Adam Tschorn

Photo: Fashion designer-turned-movie director Tom Ford opens a 7,700-square-foot menswear emporium in Las Vegas today. It is in the Crystals retail complex, part of the CityCenter development. It's only the second company-owned freestanding Tom Ford store in North America, following the New York City location, which opened in 2007. His first movie, "A Single Man," adapted from a Christoper Isherwood novel, premieres next week. Credit: Simon Perry.